


About Time

by gryffindorJ



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Fingerfucking, Frottage, Hand Jobs, Kissing, M/M, Masturbation, Public Hand Jobs, spag bol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-30
Updated: 2013-07-30
Packaged: 2017-12-21 20:22:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/904504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gryffindorJ/pseuds/gryffindorJ
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Teddy and James know exactly who to blame for all of this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	About Time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [torino10154](https://archiveofourown.org/users/torino10154/gifts).



**I.**

The first time, well, that was Teddy's fault. He knew that. They were in Amsterdam, all of them. Harry, Ginny, and all the kids. It was the week between Christmas and New Year's and the Potters had decided to take everyone away that year. Albus had come down with a terrible cold and was stuck in the hotel room taking regular doses of Pepper-up, which didn't seem to be working. Harry and Ginny had taken Lily ice-skating before dinner, which left James and Teddy to their own devices. 

After much nagging – sadly it really wasn't that much – Teddy had gone along with James to the red light district. As they walked along the pavement past cheesy sex shops and strip clubs, Teddy couldn't help but watch James. The area was an overload to the senses and there was plenty to see, but watching sixteen-year-old, tall, lanky James trying to look casual was much more interesting to Teddy. 

James stopped suddenly in front of a placard advertising the show within. It was a woman who appeared to be wearing nothing except for a large, black feathered fan she held artfully in her hands. She looked elegant and sultry with her black hair, red lips, and ivory skin. 

"You want to go in?" Teddy asked, raising his eyebrows sceptically at James. 

James mumbled and touched his hair in the way he did when he was uncomfortable. "Well, no...I was only wondering if something like that would change your mind." 

Teddy looked back at the sign. While there was something undeniably magnetic about the woman in the photo, he didn't think a bit of singing and dancing would give him a sudden hankering for fanny. But he did remember what it was like to be a kid and gay. How you wanted to make sure that's what it really was, and it wasn't that you just hadn't had the right experience. He'd never tried anything like a dance show, but he'd had his fair share of beautiful girlfriends, hoping one of them could change his mind. It never worked. 

James was clever, bold, brash, and popular. Teddy had never imagined he would have self-doubts about anything, including his sexuality. He looked back at James, whose lower lip was caught between his teeth. 

Teddy snatched James by the wrist and pulled him toward the theatre. "Only one way to find out," Teddy said, and James smiled in surprise. 

The show surprised Teddy. It was actually well done and entertaining. Teddy had expected a bad striptease. While there was a bit of stripping, it wasn't a lot. It was mostly a bunch of talented dancers dressed in sexy lingerie. 

Halfway through the show a woman clad in a black corset, thigh-high stockings, lace knickers, and a top hat came out to sing and dance. While she wasn't pretty in any way Teddy could describe, there was something about her overly long nose and thin face that pulled you in. She radiated confidence on the stage, making the audience want to bask in her glow. 

Teddy looked sideways at James and saw he was captivated as well. 

After her first song, two dancers came out to join her for the next. While both were women, they were dressed as men. They wore black trousers and white shirts. Their hair was slicked back and tucked into top hats that matched the singer's. 

As Teddy watched the singer dance between the two women, there was something undeniably sexy about it. Then the two women started to dance with each other – touching, grinding, gazes locked. Teddy felt the arousal burn deep in his belly. He knew logically they were two women; they had feminine faces, arses, and tits for Merlin's sake. But desire didn't follow any logical route, and he couldn't help but feel intrigued by the way the singer danced and sang around them as if she were the master of their movements. 

Teddy looked again at James to see what he thought. James was staring, transfixed by the women but moving in his seat as if he were uncomfortable. Teddy's gaze went to James's crotch, where he could easily see James's erection straining against his jeans. 

Remembering what it was like to be sixteen and have persistent boners, Teddy didn't think he and James would get back to the hotel with James in that condition. Teddy looked at James's hands to see if perhaps he would remedy the problem himself, but James was gripping the arms of his seat as if his life depended on it. His knuckles were white with effort. 

Teddy flicked his eyes at the stage and then back to James. Well, he'd brought James here. He might as well help him out, if he wasn't going to do it himself. 

Teddy moved his hand slowly and brought it to rest on the bulge of James's jeans. He stared hard at James as he did it and James didn't look back. He sighed inaudibly. His eyes fluttered closed, and he slouched in his seat, resting his head on the back of it. 

Teddy touched his wand with his other hand and, with a silent spell, opened James's jeans. Teddy slid his hand inside them, then through the fly of his boxers, and felt the silky heat of the back of James's cock on his fingertips. 

The feel of it was overwhelming and he quickly wrapped his hand around him completely. He slowly started to stroke. James's eyes stayed closed, but he rolled his hips smoothly into Teddy's fist. Teddy meant to keep his eyes on the show, but he couldn't. Watching James was so much better. 

It didn't take long. Within a minute or two, James stilled and came silently all over Teddy's hand. Teddy bit the inside of his cheek and pressed the heel of his hand to his own erection silently telling it _later_. 

Teddy wondered — minutes after, hours after, for years after — if the experience confused James at all, watching birds dance on stage while a bloke brought him off. 

He couldn't be truly bothered, though. He was too occupied enjoying the memory of the experience. The way James's thick, full lashes lay across his cheeks, the wet pout of his lips, and the way his cock felt hard and wonderful in his hand. 

**II.**

The second time was like the first time. It was all Teddy's fault, and he never tried to tell James otherwise because Teddy was the one who came into his room. What James would never admit was that he had known what he was doing when he saw Teddy that night. 

School wasn't even out yet when James received a letter from the Pride telling him he'd made the reserve team. When school finally let out, his parents' house was packed to the gills with every friend and family member James had, all eager to congratulate him. 

Teddy was there, of course, and while James did talk to him, he didn't give Teddy the attention he usually did. He couldn't; everyone wanted to talk to him. He could understand why that might bother Teddy. He could feel the hard glances from across the room as, yet again, James was drawn into conversation with someone else who wasn't Teddy. 

As the evening passed, James began to make sure he couldn't talk to Teddy. He loved seeing the annoyance, the aggravation plain on his face. James made sure he had a bottle of beer in his hand the whole night. He would press the head of it to his lips, letting his tongue flick across the lip before taking a sip. He would toy with the neck of the bottle with his fingers, the entire time seeing how Teddy's eyes slowly grew darker and darker till they were almost black with a mix of lust and anger. 

James had almost, _almost_ , forgotten about Teddy as he stumbled to bed around one in the morning. He left his clothes on the floor — his mum never cared if his room wasn't tidy — and slipped into his bed with the lovely, freshly laundered sheets. His head had no sooner hit the pillow when his door clicked open. 

He didn't roll over to see who it was; he knew it was Teddy. He lay completely still in anticipation of Teddy, waiting for the touch. 

He heard Teddy slip out of his clothes and had to fight to urge to look, to finally see Teddy's naked cock, not just the hint of it in pants or swim trunks. 

He felt the cool draft of air against his back as Teddy lifted the blankets, but it was soon replaced by the heat of Teddy's chest pressed to his back. James could feel the gentle tickle of the curly, soft hairs of Teddy's chest. He pressed back into them and then felt the gentle tickling sensation lower, across his arse, as Teddy pressed his hips to James. James wondered what colour hair Teddy had down there. Teddy's hair on his head was always all manner of different colours, but the hair on his chest, arms, and legs was his natural lighter colour. James's hair was all black. Didn't matter where it was — head, beard, chest, belly, balls. Black. James had been with a bloke who had lighter hair, but his balls were darker than the rest. Teddy's must have been like that. 

The thought was soon lost, though, as James felt the press of Teddy's hard cock against the cleft his his arse. Teddy's lips flitted across the shell of his ear as he took James's cock in hand. 

"Yes," James whispered, rocking back against Teddy's cock and then forward into Teddy's fist. 

Teddy moved against him. It was long, slow, and silent, and the last thing either of them said was James’ whispered _yes_. . The only thing James could hear was Teddy's breath hot in his ear. 

James came hard as Teddy twisted his hand and touched the head of James's cock just so. James was silent; he was well-practiced in coming quietly, as he had just got out of school. Teddy had to bury his face in James's pillow as he came. 

The next morning James could still feel the touch of Teddy's hand on his cock, the way he pulled back the foreskin and gathered up the moisture with his thumb. As he sat down to eat a bowl of cereal across from Teddy, he could recall the wet, viscous heat of Teddy's come dripping down his thighs, his muffled cry of release. 

Teddy pushed the sugar bowl towards him with a mumbled 'here' as he munched his toast. Teddy didn't look up, though; as usual he only had eyes for the morning paper. 

**III.**

The third time, the fault belonged to James and James alone. 

Teddy was in the loo at The Leaky. He hadn't even realized James was in the pub, too. Teddy couldn't keep up with when James was around or not. The schedule of a Quidditch star was highly unpredictable and demanding. 

Teddy had gone off to check the colour of his hair before he and his friends continued on to a club. Teddy usually wore his hair bright in dark clubs. It got him more attention. He couldn't decide if he wanted glowing yellow tonight or if perhaps he was feeling more a shocking red. 

He had decided yellow made him look a tad jaundiced when the door of the loo burst open. Teddy startled, but when he saw it was James taking up the entire doorway, he laughed. 

"I didn't know you were here," Teddy said and turned back to the mirror.

James stepped in, pushed the door closed, and slid the lock in place. It was up near the top; Teddy had never noticed it. He was much more confused by why that lock was even there than by James's behaviour. He wrinkled his brow and stared at it in the mirror. 

Then James was right behind him. For an instant Teddy thought he was angry, but then he realized that wasn't anger suffusing James's features. It was raw determination. He grabbed Teddy's waist and spun him around. His lips were on Teddy's in the next breath. 

It was odd to have had someone's cock in your hand, twice, but to have never kissed him. It was also exhilarating. Teddy gripped the front of James's shirt and pulled him closer. Teddy opened his mouth to James, and James pressed their tongues together. He tasted of the ale that Hannah brewed. It was only served here, and Teddy wondered how he had not noticed James was in the pub before. 

The sink pressed painfully into Teddy's lower back, and he shifted slightly so he was sitting on the edge. James bodily pushed his legs apart and settled between them. 

"Going somewhere?" James said, breaking the kiss and reaching for Teddy's flies. 

"Yeah," Teddy said breathlessly. "How'd you know?" 

"The hair," James said with a glance to Teddy's head then back down again. "Thought I'd get my chance in before you left." 

Teddy was kept from replying as at that moment James took out his wand and did away with Teddy's trousers and pants. James hastily undid his own, and they hung low on his thighs as he pressed their cocks together. 

Teddy didn't know if it took seconds or hours for them to get to fucking. He was too swept up in the pleasure of it to notice anything stupid like the hands of a clock. He distinctly remembered the experience being particularly intoxicating. 

He propped himself with one hand on the edge of the slippery sink while he fisted the back of James's shirt with the other. He wrapped his legs around James's waist, keeping him close. Not that it was needed, as James gripped Teddy's arse with both hands. It wasn't a bruising, possessive hold. It was tight, but the way he did it made Teddy feel as if James were holding something delicate, something special, not just Teddy's arse. It was little wonder he was such a successful Seeker. With a touch like that, the Snitch likely wanted to be caught by James. Who or what could possibly resist the feel of James's hands on their flesh? 

Despite the hold, James did not move his hips in a similarly delicate fashion. He ground against Teddy hard, sliding their cocks together intently, again and again. Teddy could feel James's balls pressing to his as they fucked. The slide of their cocks was rough, almost too much, but it sent shivers down Teddy's spine. He ached to wrap his hands around their cocks and bring them off in his hand, but he was afraid to let go of James. 

James slowed and then quickened the pace suddenly, and Teddy felt his orgasm rip through him. He arched his back, trying desperately for one more touch, and then suddenly he was coming, the name _Jamie_ pouring from his mouth. When James came moments later, it was in the same silence as always. 

When Teddy left, his hair was his natural colour. He couldn't be bothered to change it to anything special. He went to the club with his friends, smiled and talked at all the right times, but it was like he was Imperiused. His mind was not truly in it. It was still in the loo at The Leaky thinking about James's kiss, James's hands, and how he had cried out for James but James had remained firmly silent. 

IV.

The fourth time was the first time they talked about it beforehand. 

Despite having run over to Teddy's flat, James did not expect to be bathed in sweat, like he was, as he knocked on Teddy's door. 

He could hear Teddy's footsteps across the floor as he made his way to open the door. James pulled the hem of his t-shirt up to wipe his streaming face before Teddy opened the door. Even though he'd known Teddy his entire life, James still wanted Teddy to be impressed by him. 

"Hey. Did you run here?" Teddy asked as he opened the door and looked James up and down, taking in his shorts, t-shirt, and trainers. 

"Yeah," James said. He squeezed past Teddy, stepping into the flat. 

"It's over five miles," Teddy said as he closed the door. "You lose your wand and couldn't Apparate?" 

"Felt like I needed the exercise," James replied with a shrug. The muscles in his legs still twitched and jumped with energy that was eager to be released. Today James felt like he could have run twenty miles and still have energy to spare. 

"So you ran here?" Teddy said, sounding sceptical still. 

"I wanted to bring you this." James pulled his wand out of one pocket and a small cube out of the other. He tapped it with his wand, enlarging the contract to its normal size. He held the contract out to Teddy, and Teddy took it, wrinkling his nose when he touched the bottom left corner that was damp with sweat. 

"I think Nimbus only wants your signature, not your DNA sample." 

"There's no DNA in sweat," James said, feeling himself prickle at Teddy's pinched-up face. 

Teddy thumbed through the parchment and said, "Since they're basically blowing you with this contract, I think they might be after a sperm sample." 

"Har, har," James said. "Can I have some water?" 

"You know where it is," Teddy said distractedly as he got to the finer details of the contract. 

James walked into the kitchen, leaving Teddy to it. James had an agent and lawyers who were paid to go over and negotiate this sort of thing, but he still always showed his contracts to Teddy before he signed them. Teddy's expertise was in immigration law, not business, but he knew about these things better than anyone James knew or trusted. Teddy would never let him get trapped in a shit deal. James found a bottle of water, took a couple sips, and then pulled out a bottle of Duvel from Teddy's fridge. It wasn't his favourite, but it was strong and he needed a drink. 

He walked back into the sitting room and Teddy looked up at him. "I thought you needed water." 

"Got something better," James said, taking a long drink of the beer. 

"You doing all right?" Teddy said. "You could have owled the contract over." 

"Wanted to say hello," James said, flopping down on the chair to the side of the sofa where Teddy sat. 

"I wasn't joking about the cock-sucking. This is a really good contract, Jamie. They're paying you a lot of money to be in their new campaign." Teddy looked at him. His eyes were their normal clear blue, nothing of the stormy, dark shadows that filled them when Teddy was suffused with desire. James simultaneously loved and hated that Teddy's appearance could change with his emotions. He looked completely normal now — regular hair, regular eyes, no hint of feeling anything other than normal. 

"I know," James said and looked away, feeling a pang of hurt that Teddy could regard him so plainly. 

"Tell me what's going on, then?" Teddy said, dropping the contract next to him. "How's Armando?"

James sighed heavily. Teddy could read him, but how was it possible that Teddy could find the heart of the matter that quickly? 

"He's fine...I guess..." James took another drink. In fact, he didn't give a fuck about Armando at this moment. He had left Armando on his doorstep with Mike, Mark, Martin, or whatever the fuck his name was. James was not some fancy piece of arse that Armando could use to show he could pull high class tail — and not only that, but also involve some third party in their bed. 

"You two have a row?" James could tell Teddy wanted to add to that sentence. His and Armando's relationship had been rocky, to say the least. It was impossible to give everything you had to one person when you were always wishing they were someone else.

"We're not even together right now," James said. Teddy raised his brows at him. "Yeah, he hasn't gone home for the past two weeks, but that's not what it's about." 

"Sounds like to me that's exactly what it's about. Fucking, yeah? I didn't think there were wedding bells in your future."

James gave Teddy a hard look. Teddy had never liked Armando; no one in the family ever had. James knew Armando was interested in who James was more than anything else. The thing was, it was easy. He was so busy during the season that it was easier to keep him around and have one person who used him rather than a string of them. It was the devil James knew. 

Given all that, it was patently unfair for Teddy to say their relationship was only about fucking. Teddy had no room to judge; it wasn't like he was any better with serious commitment than James. It had been over two years since James could name a person Teddy saw more than once. Which was odd, given Teddy's loyalty and devotion to his friends and family. 

Teddy was complicated when it came to sex, though. Despite having a handful of encounters with Teddy, they had never, not once, talked about them. The first one had confused James for a couple years. After it happened, James didn't know if he wanted birds, or blokes, birds dressed as blokes, if he wanted sex in public, or what. It had been the first time he had ever come at the hands of someone else. After a few muddled experiences, James finally came to the conclusion that no, it really was only blokes he wanted. But it took a few more years for him to realize that the only one that had ever mattered was Teddy. He thought it was fairly pathetic to fall for the person who took your virginity, but Teddy was always more than a hand on his crotch, a warm body in his bed, a fuck in the loo. 

"Armando isn't only about _fucking_ ," James said pointedly, even though it was a half-truth at best. 

"You sure had me fooled," Teddy retorted.

"Then why don't you fuck me and make me forget about him?" James said hotly. His anger and annoyance at Armando, at Teddy, had built to a breaking point and settled firmly in his crotch. He looked at Teddy with his bold cheekbones and soft, full mouth, the smooth, easy way he talked and even how sat on the bloody couch, and James wanted him. He wanted to fuck Teddy more than he had when they fucked the last time. Not only that, but he wanted to scream when he came. No more silence, no more screaming Teddy's name in his head but keeping it from his lips. He wanted to give all he had. 

"That's what you want? You think one prick will make you forget about Armando? Finally be done with it?" 

The answer was no, not one prick. Teddy's prick. James didn't say that, though. He simply said, "Yes." 

Teddy sat forward on the sofa and took a slow, even breath. He looked down and then back up to meet James's eyes. "All right. Where?" 

"Here. Right now." 

"No wonder you keep going back to the same person if this is how you chat people up." 

James shot out of his chair, his heart pounding in his ears. He practically lunged at Teddy and pulled him from the sofa, gripping him tight around the upper arms. "I don't need to chat people up. Everyone but you is queuing up to suck my cock." 

"If I knew there was a queue, then I would have." 

"You never need to stand in line." Teddy eyes widened in surprise and he leaned in close to James, their lips almost touching. "Should we?" James said, feeling breathless. 

"Yeah," Teddy replied, sounding breathless. 

Their kiss wasn't gentle, sweet, or nice. It was painfully raw and perfect. James's fingers dug into the flesh of Teddy's arms as one of Teddy's hands held the back of his head and the other twisted in the front of his t-shirt. 

Through the haze of tongues and lips, James thought perhaps Teddy was trying to pull him down to his knees. Then he realized that, being a bit taller than Teddy, Teddy was just trying to pull him closer. 

The kiss broke when it was Teddy who sank to his knees. He pulled James's shorts down with one swift tug. For a moment, James was worried Teddy wouldn't be pleased with himself for going down on James. He had just run five miles, after all, but Teddy eagerly pressed his tongue to James's balls and took a long, slow inhale that he seemed to savour. 

James watched Teddy suck him fervently. He was hypnotized by the hot, firm press of tongue and lips on his cock. Teddy bobbed and sucked in steady repetition, occasionally sucking firmer on the head and then taking James all the way down his throat seconds later. He cupped James's balls and lightly touched his arse. 

James touched the back of Teddy's head, holding him close as he rode his mouth, their movements in perfect time with each other. James wanted this to last. Not only the blow job, but the feeling there was only him and Teddy, alone. Nothing else mattered but what they did now. Too soon he was coming hard down Teddy's throat. He was so wrapped up in the experience that he didn't know if he came in silence or finally let himself cry out for Teddy. 

His legs shaky, he dropped to his knees and pulled Teddy in for another kiss. He tasted his come, silky and salty, on the corner of Teddy's lips. James pulled back to find Teddy looking at him like there was something he was dying to say. James didn't want to hear it; he didn't want their bubble popped. 

He gave Teddy a wicked smile and pushed him to the floor before sliding down his body. He undid Teddy’s his trousers enough to pull them down. He thought of the last time he removed Teddy's trousers. He could do that again now. Remove them completely and have Teddy's long, slender, naked thighs wrapped around his body again. 

James reached for Teddy's cock and stifled a moan as he finally felt it in his hand. Last time they had done this, James had almost stroked Teddy off. He had wanted to grab their dicks and hold them together, but holding Teddy's entire body close had been what he ached for. He could do that now, settle between Teddy's thighs and rub him till he came; but no, he wanted Teddy to come by his mouth. 

He sucked Teddy deliberately, enjoying the taste, the heat, the sounds of Teddy's short-sharp breaths, the feel of Teddy's hands gently cupping his jaw and guiding James to take him deeper. When Teddy stilled and came in James's mouth, it was so much, so fast that James didn't quite swallow it all. 

Teddy noticed and wiped the pad of his thumb across James's chin, gathering up the last of his come. With his eyes, now dark as night, firmly locked on James's, he pressed the thumb between James's lips. James closed his eyes, savouring the last of Teddy in his mouth. 

James lay his head on Teddy's thigh. He could have drifted off into oblivion as Teddy still cupped his jaw, but then Teddy said something. 

"Huh?" James said, feeling off kilter. 

"Did you forget about Armando?" Teddy said and James lifted his head and glared up at Teddy. Teddy looked at him the same way he always did after they had done something; like it was over and James was very boring now. 

"Yes, thank you. I'd quite forgotten he existed," James replied coldly. He sat up and looked around for his shorts. 

"Where are you going?" Teddy asked as he sat up and tucked himself back into his trousers. 

"Armando's probably pissed off at me. As he can get into my place without me, I should get home." It wasn't the exact truth, James had put up the wards before he left, but he didn't need to wait around for Teddy to kick him out. 

Teddy shrugged, stood, and walked towards the kitchen. 

James hurried to the door, eager to leave so that Teddy couldn't see his face. Couldn't see the crushing ache he felt inside. 

James pulled open the door, and before he could close it behind him, he heard Teddy. "Jamie?" 

"What?" James said, not daring to turn around. 

"I'll owl your contract back over later. I'm sure it's fine." 

"Right, sure. Thanks." James closed the door behind him, not sure what he was thanking Teddy for exactly. 

**V.**

The fifth time was the end of this for them. 

Teddy told himself he wasn't going to do it any more, wasn't going to start any nonsense with James. But he did. It was all him, and he knew it. Him and the gin, which he had far too much of before returning home. It was a holiday — technically a Muggle one, but a lot of wizards celebrated it, so it couldn't be helped. 

Three months previously, Teddy's lease had come up for renewal. His landlady didn't want to rent to him again because she had been saving the flat for her granddaughter, who would be moving back to England. Being too busy with work to find a decent place, Teddy had accepted James's offer to stay in his flat for as long as he needed. At first Teddy was hesitant, for obvious reasons, but James pointed out quite reasonably that his flat was huge and that he was rarely home during the season, anyway, so it was nice to know the place wasn't deserted. James not being home was good because Teddy certainly didn't need to see him going around only in his pants to know what he was missing. Still, Teddy only said yes when he had the thought that him being around would keep Armando away. 

After two years of a dramatic and ridiculous relationship, James seemed to have finally rid himself of that plague. Armando was a smug, self-satisfied bastard who used James. No one liked him, and they were all perplexed over why James ever put up with his shit. Armando was handsome, sure, but Teddy secretly thought he either had an amazing tongue or a huge cock for James to keep taking him back time after time. 

If Teddy could be a permanent block to that wanker ever coming back, then he would put his feelings for James aside so he could live in his flat and still act normal. 

For the most part, the arrangement had gone well. James was a well-paid Seeker, so it was the nicest place Teddy had ever lived. His bedroom and bathroom were enormous. James employed a cleaning woman who seemed only too happy to tidy up Teddy's room. James also employed a food delivery service, so there was never a shortage of tea in the cabinet or fresh fruit on the counter. And as large as it was, it was still comfortable and inviting. Teddy loved coming home at the end of the day and sitting with his feet on the coffee table as he turned on the telly and Summoned food from the kitchen. Sometimes he just stood by the windows, which took up one entire wall of the sitting room, and looked out. Yes, the view of Parliament and Big Ben was a touch better from his room, but it was peaceful to look out at the wide expanse of London and see the glowing boats move down the Thames, all while he stood in the quiet warmth of the sitting room. 

Although there was no Armando around, sadly there wasn't much of James around, either. He had been right; he was hardly home during the season. He usually came home well after Teddy had gone to bed and he was still asleep when Teddy left the next morning. 

When Teddy did see James, he was moody. His team was having a shit season. Despite having caught the Snitch in eight of his last ten matches, their Keeper couldn't stop a nosebleed. They were set to have the worst record in almost fifteen years. James hated losing, but it was even worse losing when he was still doing his best. 

Teddy wanted James to be happy. It was annoying to hardly see James and for James to be despondent and distant on the rare occasions he did see him. When Teddy arrived home on that Tuesday evening, he was surprised James was home but unsurprised to see him lying on the sofa, staring blankly out of the windows. 

He wore shorts and a light button-up shirt, as if it were summertime. James usually walked around only in his pants when he was at home, so the shorts were probably due to some misplaced modesty, because Teddy lived there now. His long legs were stretched out across the sofa so that his ankles rested on the arm opposite his head. His feet were bare and Teddy noticed that the soles looked pink and amazingly soft, like a baby's. He wanted to trace his fingers across the arches to see if James was ticklish there. He also saw that the last two buttons on James's shirt were undone and that James had his hands wrapped around an almost empty tumbler that rested on his exposed skin. Teddy pulled his gaze away from the dark hairs that trailed down the solid plane of James's stomach. Despite the concern he felt was plain on his face — it was odd for James to have anything stronger than a beer — and the spark of desire he felt, he made sure his tone was bright as he said, "You're home." 

"We play Saturday night, so we're off tonight," James said, eyes still fixed out the windows. 

"Oh? Perhaps I'll come watch the match then." 

"Keep your eyes on me if you do come. Right now I'm the only one worth seeing," James said with his trademark smug attitude, but Teddy noticed the words sounded a bit more rehearsed than natural. 

"Aren't you always the only one worth seeing?" Teddy said. He knew it was flirtatious, but his eyes had trailed back down to that exposed patch of skin. He wanted to sink his teeth into that spot just on the other side of James's hipbone. James gave an amused snort and raised his glass to Teddy in silent toast before draining it. 

"You want one?" James said, standing from the sofa and walking over to the cabinet where all the liquor was kept. 

Teddy stared at James openly, now that his back was to him. The shape of his arse was apparent in his low-slung, ratty shorts. Teddy remembered that night so many years ago when he had sneaked into James's room and come all over that gorgeous, round arse. 

Teddy remembered what it was like then: when James was young and Teddy was stupid and only cared about proving he could have James when he wanted him. That was before the loo at The Leaky Cauldron, before the blow job on Teddy's floor, before Teddy knew he was hopelessly in love with him. 

James turned, holding two glasses clinking with ice and filled with clear liquid. Teddy schooled his features quickly, prayed his hair hadn't turned black as sin, and said, "What've we here? Gin or vodka?" 

James shrugged and said, "I don't know, I poured the first thing I grabbed." He sipped the drink carefully and winced before handing Teddy his. "It's tequila." 

Teddy thought for half a second this might not mix well with the gin and tonics he’d had earlier, but his head still felt too light to give it serious consideration. He raised the glass to James then took a drink. Yes, it was indeed tequila, very good tequila. He loved that James never kept any crap around. Well, aside from Armando for a time. 

They stood looking at each other for a moment. James looked down his long nose at Teddy, his hazel eyes melancholy and the corners of his mouth down-turned. Teddy wanted to rub his thumb across James's cheek and tell him it was okay. Teddy, his mind feeling loose and nimble, was about say something funny for James's benefit when a sudden light burst in the night sky. 

They both turned and looked out the window and James said, needlessly, "Some fireworks have started." 

He sat back down on the sofa and stretched out like before, only this time watching the fireworks. 

Teddy sat on the end table above James's head. He looked down at the top of James's head, resisting the urge to comb his fingers through his thick, slate-black hair just to see if the action would tidy it a bit. But he resisted. 

It was good he’d sat way up here. If were down by James’s bare legs, he might have been tempted to run his thumb along the inside of James's thigh. If he’d sat by his stomach, he might have brushed his lips against his navel. But sitting by James's mouth wasn't a good idea either. It wasn't only his lips or his thumb he wanted to run across those lips.

He could easily recall the last encounter, when he'd had James's mouth on his cock. After The Leaky Cauldron, he was half sure the feelings that had blossomed were mutual. There was always something or someone in the way of Teddy finding out for sure, though. A blow job on the sitting room floor didn't answer any of Teddy's questions, but it was certainly nice to remember. 

He cleared his throat explosively, trying to dislodge from his wandering mind the thoughts of blowing James. Shouldn't have had so much to drink. The alcohol, along with being this close to James, was making him desperately randy. 

Fireworks — which looked distinctly wizarding — started now, competing with the Muggle ones, and James said, "This was always my favourite Muggle holiday." 

"Because of the explosions or because there was a James involved in the whole business?" Teddy asked. He took a sip of his drink, already feeling warmer and lighter.

James cocked his head and looked up at Teddy. "There's a James involved in the holiday?" 

Teddy rolled his eyes and said, "Yes. That was the King they wanted to assassinate." 

"Bastards," James mumbled and turned back to the window before Teddy added, "You didn't know that?" 

James leaned forward to take a drink and then, lying back down, said, "Possibly I did. I'm half pissed, Teddy. Let me enjoy the fireworks and don't catechise me on my lack of Muggle history knowledge." 

"Half-pissed but still able to use fancy words like catechise." 

James turned again and said with a grin, "I always do the crossword in the paper that you so sedulously ignore." 

"Because I know you enjoy them," Teddy said, looking down at James with warmth. 

Their eyes met. Something in James's expression changed, and before Teddy knew it, he was putting his drink down on the table and moving to sit on the sofa. He silently cursed the gin and tequila, which he was sure were making him act so boldly. Or perhaps living with James had affected him. 

He faced James and leaned in close. James licked his lower lip nervously and stared hard at Teddy. Teddy could smell James now — his clothes, his soap, his shampoo, his body. With that and the warmth of James's body pressing against his thigh, it was an entirely different sort of intoxication that made Teddy lean in closer. 

Teddy wanted this. More than a kiss, a fuck, he wanted all of James. He wanted to know if James wanted all of him, too. So he asked. But somewhere along the way from his brain to his mouth, the words he wanted to say got lost. His mouth was mere inches from James's. All he could say was, "Please, please, please." 

James leaned forward and brought their mouths together, silencing Teddy's words. 

Teddy had had less innocent kisses by the time he was thirteen, but somehow it was perfect. Hard and passionate they had done; slow was new and so much better. 

Slowly, Teddy opened his mouth, inviting James's tongue to enter. James flicked his tongue shyly across Teddy's lips and then pulled it away and closed his mouth. Teddy opened his eyes to see what had happened. Amusement danced in James's eyes and before Teddy could ask what he was about, James was simultaneously pulling him in for another kiss and pushing him back to sit up. 

This time James pressed his tongue more firmly to Teddy's lips and then into his mouth. Teddy pressed his tongue to James's, urging him in deeper, but James resisted. James deliberately brushed Teddy's mouth with his tongue, dragging the tip across just the inside of his mouth. He pressed softly inside the corners of Teddy's lips. The touch was gentle but in exactly the right place, and it engulfed Teddy's body in a wave of heat. Teddy moaned and twisted his hands in James's thin cotton shirt, wanting more of that. He felt a puff of a chuckle escape James's mouth and he did it again. 

Blood thrumming in his ears, Teddy couldn't hold back. He would go mad if James continued this slowly. He opened his mouth wide, urging James, but James went slowly, pressing his tongue here, flicking it there. He languidly explored Teddy's mouth, which only served to push Teddy more, make him harder, make him want James _now_. He was achingly hard, breathless, and felt a little disoriented that a kiss could do that to him. He pulled his mouth free of James's and said, "When did this happen?" 

"What?" James said, sounding short of breath himself as he leaned in and delicately kissed the corner of Teddy's mouth. 

"That you started kissing like this?" Teddy said.

James shrugged and smiled devilishly. "Natural talent." 

"But we've kissed before." Teddy clung to James's shirt and moved his head so that James couldn't kiss him into silence. 

"That was about getting off. Those other times," James said, kissing Teddy's chin, his cheek, his jaw. 

"We're not going to?" Teddy felt very confused, the mixture of passion and alcohol making it difficult to think clearly. How could James kiss him like that but not intend on following through with what he started? He wanted his cock touched by James in any way he could get, mostly by his mouth at the moment. If he could kiss like that, then there was clearly more he could do even better than he had before. 

"We're going to," James said, his voice deep. He pressed his palm to Teddy's cock, and Teddy's eyes fluttered shut as he groaned at the firm contact. "Differently this time, though." 

"Good," Teddy said, feeling back on the right track. He pulled James to him for another kiss. 

As they kissed, not quite as slowly this time, Teddy loosened his hold on James's shirt and began to pull the buttons open. He ran his hands flat across James's chest. It felt firm and strong under his fingertips, while the dark hairs tickled his palms. As he pushed the shirt from James's shoulders, James reached for the hem of Teddy's jumper and t-shirt, pulling them up over his head. 

James dipped his head to the crook of Teddy's neck. He swirled his tongue in a small circle across Teddy's skin, then kissed and sucked on the part he had marked. Teddy wrapped his arms around James's head, holding him tight. James circled his arms around Teddy's waist, pulling him closer so that parts of their shoulders, chests, and stomachs touched. James's skin felt wonderfully warm against his. 

James continued to lick and suck his way across Teddy's collarbone, to his shoulder. Teddy's skin felt tight and his breath heavy in his chest. He groaned, rolling his hips, desperate for friction on his cock, but there was nothing to press against save his own clothes. 

James ran his hands up Teddy's body to his chest. He ran his thumbs across Teddy's nipples, which sent another wave of pleasure through Teddy. He tried desperately not to whimper, but the sound escaped his throat anyway. James didn't laugh, as Teddy would have expected. He merely dropped his head lower, bringing his mouth to Teddy's chest. 

He circled one nipple with the tip of his tongue before pulling it into his mouth and flicking his tongue against it. 

"Oh, fuck," Teddy said. God, he wanted that mouth on his cock. He felt like he was going to burst from the inside out if he didn't get that now. He could feel the sweat gathering on his temples, on the centre of his chest, his body's silent plea for more. 

James moved his mouth from Teddy's nipple to the centre of his chest and licked a line up to the hollow of his throat. He pulled his head back, straightening, and said, "I think we should go to the bedroom." 

"Why?" Teddy said, reaching for James's shorts and undoing them. "You can suck me right here on the sofa." 

"That's all you want?" James said with a half-smile and his eyebrows raised. He reached for Teddy's jeans and started pulling the buckle open. _YES!_ Teddy's mind screamed, but before he could verbalize the thought, James continued, "I think maybe instead of that you should fuck me. I'll suck your cock if you really want that, but I want you in my arse." 

Teddy growled low in his throat and shoved James back, landing on top of him, kissing him hard on the mouth. Teddy moved to push James's legs apart so he could settle between them. The pressure on his cock was perfect and even better was James's cock stiff against him. 

"Sure you want that?" Teddy said, grinding their hips together. 

"Yes," James replied his voice a strangled whisper. 

"You can wait?" Teddy said, continuing to roll their hips together. James wrapped his legs around Teddy and arched up to meet each thrust. "Don't want me to make you come right here? Right now? You're so hard. It'll only take a second to make you come." 

"No," James said, but his body did not echo his words, as he kept on rubbing against Teddy. "Please. I want you in my arse. Please." 

James was eager and needy beneath him and, good fucking Merlin, Teddy was surprised he didn't come on the spot. 

Teddy stood quickly from the sofa, undid his jeans and dropped them with his pants as he said, "Let’s go, then." 

James rolled from the couch and studied Teddy's naked body for a moment. When his gaze reached Teddy's cock, he licked his lips and looked like he might have regretted turning down the option to blow Teddy. But then he turned and sauntered to his bedroom. Pulling his wand from his pocket, he let his loose shorts fall from his hips and to the floor, revealing his perfect, brilliant arse. It was round and tight with the perfect dip on the sides. Teddy wanted to reach out and hold each half of it in his hands, run his thumbs down the centre and split it like a piece of ripe fruit, run his tongue down the crevice, gathering the taste on his tongue before he fucked him balls deep. 

Teddy hastened to follow James. He reached out and trailed one finger down the small of James's back and across the curve of one arse cheek to the spot just below it. James looked over his shoulder at Teddy, humour and arousal mixed in his expression. He reached for Teddy's hand and pulled him down the corridor to his room. 

Teddy had been in James's room before, but he didn't know James kept the curtains open like they were. There were large windows, like the sitting room and Teddy's room, but James's room had them on two sides, not one. If Teddy went and pressed his forehead to the windows and looked down, it would make him feel as though he were standing over all of London. 

Fireworks were still going off, and in the distance Teddy could hear soft _booms_ : brilliant light and then the sound following a moment later. 

Teddy looked away from the window to James, who was inching back on the bed. He put his feet flat on the bed and pointed his wand at himself. The spell was silent, but James groaned as it washed over him. 

Teddy got on the bed, standing on his knees between James's legs. Teddy's gaze travelled from James's entrance to his thick, long cock, up his belly and chest, to his face. 

Their eyes met and James said, "I want you, but I don't want this to be the only time." 

"There've been other times," Teddy said, keeping his eyes locked on James's, even though he could tell James was stroking his cock and he desperately wanted to watch that. 

"You know what I mean." Teddy wasn't sure that he did. James obviously didn't understand how desperately hard it was at the moment to focus on anything except for his most visceral needs. 

Teddy closed his eyes to take a steadying breath. The lights of fireworks blossomed across his eyelids as he focused his thoughts. When he opened his eyes, James was still looking at him and still stroking his cock. Teddy watched that for a moment and then moved forward, leaning over James. 

As he studied James's eyes, the tumblers of the lock they had tried to pry open over the years finally fell into place. Teddy kissed James softly and said, "I know what you mean." 

Something loosened in James's expression and Teddy moved back, standing on his knees again. Teddy put his hands on James's knees, ready to push them back. 

"Not yet," James said. "I need to—" 

"I thought you did," Teddy said, looking at his entrance. 

"I did. But I'm so turned on I won't be able to enjoy watching you as much." He quickened the pace on his cock and moaned, his feet still flat on the bed as he thrust into his fist again and again. 

The sight was so erotic that Teddy was about to stroke his own cock when James's eyes shot open and he said, "Put...your fingers...in me." 

Teddy moved and swiftly pushed two fingers in James's hot, slick entrance. 

"God! Fuck!" James cried out, his back bowing. Teddy moved his hand back and forth quickly. "Yes! Like that, Teddy. Can't wait for you to fuck me." James groaned deeply as his arse pulsed around Teddy's fingers and he came hard, come covering his belly. 

Teddy positioned himself between James's legs again. James reached behind him, grabbing a large pillow and putting it under his hips, angling himself better for Teddy. Teddy pushed one knee back with one hand as he used the other to guide his cock into James. 

James was right; it was better he had brought himself off first. While his skin felt hot and sticky under Teddy's touch, his body felt amazingly relaxed and supple. James's body felt as if it could lie there and take Teddy's cock well into the night. But the moment Teddy breached his hole, Teddy knew there was no way he could last that long. The heat and the tightness pulled Teddy in, and without a second's hesitation, he pushed in hard and deep. 

Teddy fucked James as slowly as he could. The booms and flashes outside seemed like a distant storm as the only focus of Teddy's world became the tightness in his balls, the feel of James around his cock, and perfect ragged way James said 'Teddy' and 'fuck, yes', over and over. Teddy closed his eyes and lost himself in the rhythm of his and James's thrusts. 

"Touch me," James said eventually and Teddy's eyes snapped open. "Need to..." Teddy looked down and saw that James's thick cock was stiff again. Need was clear on his face and his hands twisted in the sheets beside him. 

Teddy wrapped one hand around James and James moaned, thrusting sharply in reply. He had stroked James before, but it was never like this. It always was some sort of secret before. Now it was open and — more importantly — James had asked for it. 

Teddy felt his own need shoot through his body and settle in his balls, making them draw in tighter to the point where Teddy was sure he had to come now, this instant. He moved inside James hard and fast, fucking in time with his fist until he stopped and cried out as he came, filling James. James still moved, fucking himself on Teddy's cock, and it felt wonderful and almost like too much at the same time. James gripped Teddy's forearm suddenly, squeezing it in a vice-like grip as he stilled and came again, spilling himself all down Teddy's hand. 

Teddy pulled out of James and lay slowly on the bed next to James. Despite what had been said, Teddy didn't know what intimacy was allowed between them now. Being held accountable for things said or done in a passion, whether good or bad, was risky business, especially when it came to someone like James. Not caring, though, and finally ready to take his chance, Teddy reached out and pulled James towards him. 

James moved into Teddy's touch and looked at him with a satisfied, sleepy smile. 

"Why didn't we do this last time?" Teddy said in a whisper. His voice sounded rough and his throat ached when he spoke. He must have been louder than he thought. 

James looked like he was trying very hard not to say exactly what he was thinking. Whatever reason James was thinking of, it must have been bad. Teddy spoke before James could decide whether what he was thinking was worth it or not. "Did something happen last time?" Teddy asked. 

James smirked and let out a small puff of laughter. "I could tell you, but since you can already see what I'm thinking, we'll leave it at bad timing. All four of those times." 

"Yeah, it's different now." Teddy leaned in to kiss James. 

James chortled and said, "Finally." 

**V.I**

James had not offered his spare room to Teddy with the explicit intent that they would eventually sleep together again. The thought that it could easily happen had crossed his mind once, twice, maybe a hundred times. If he'd been around more, he would have made more of an effort towards making it happen. But, as usual, the season was busy and had the added bonus of being bloody awful. 

The fifth time was James's fault. He was the one who gave Teddy the look that clearly said _'fuck-me-now'_ , so he didn't understand why Teddy was leaning over him, begging. Maybe begging was a bit of a strong word for it. But his juniper-scented lips were inches from James's, and the word _please_ was spilling from them repeatedly. 

As their mouths came together in a slow, almost chaste kiss, James already knew the time had come, and that he was going to get everything he wanted...


End file.
